Founding of Santa Fe

The Founding and Founders of the Villa de Santa Fe

José Antonio Esquibel

The celebration of 400 years of history of the City of Santa Fe is a remarkable milestone and one which is deeply personal for those of us with ancestral roots in New Mexico . Many of our New Mexican ancestors lived in the Villa de Santa Fe at one time or another, some for many decades, and these individuals shaped its distinct and rich history. Unfortunately, much of that history no longer survives in the form of documents, and thus very little has come to light to help us understand what life was like for the early residents of the Villa de Santa Fe . Careful reading of archival documents is the primary means by which fragments of information are being pieced together to tell the story of early Santa Fe and its residents.

The founding date of Santa Fe remains a challenge to determine due to the fact that documents of that era are long lost.

Continued at: OLTHLRC